[branding] Quietus: Why It’s Not Selling Well Amongst Film Buffs and PD James Fans

2321.NOTA BENE, 12 March 2010: I noticed getting linkage from this discussion thread at Newtek.com, and I’m flattered. Thanks very much! If you care to, hang about a while, leave a comment … I enjoy getting visitors, and I’m always out to make new friends, especially as perrcepive as you folks are. Moreover, despite the title, I don’t know for sure how many units “Quietus” sells anywhere, so imagine the word “probably” in there. Judging by the quality of the discussion at the source of this link, you guys Get It™, however!

But savvy film buffs and avid readers may recall that Quietus was a key element of both P.D. James’ dystopian novel Children of Men, and the 2006 film adaptation by Alfonso Cuarón. In the book, Quiteus refers to government-sanctioned mass drownings that are available as an option to elderly citizens who can’t afford nursing homes. In Cuarón’s film, Quietus is a suicide pill that’s freely advertised to residents of an overpopulated, financially disadvantaged future world. The drug’s cheery ad line is “You decide when.”

Now, I’m not saying I’m some marketing genius, and, as far as I know, the Quietus tinnitus OTC product is selling just fine. But I can’t hear one of their commercials without thinking of the drug in Children of Men. And it’s not so embarrassing, I suppose; the market seems to be quite forgiving; I remember Quark’s rebranding about four years back, and the great one back in 2004 where Google didn’t check to see if the mark “Gmail” wasn’t already being used by a British financial firm (scroll to end of this article: http://www.pcworld.com/article/115586/googles_gmail_already_under_fire.html)

It’s the power of branding, and why you should be ever-so-careful. And do at least one web search – and see what else comes up.